Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Judge Rule Climate Change No Excuse for Violence

Washington State Judge Michael E Rickert has caused green heads to explode, by ruling that climate change is a matter of debate.

Judge in environmental activist’s trial says climate change is matter of debateControversial statements angered environmentalists who insist courts have an obligation to recognize the science about manmade climate changeA Washington state judge has sparked outrage for remarks questioning the existence of climate change and the role of humans in global warming.During the high-profile trial of Ken Ward, a climate activist facing 30 years in prison for shutting down an oil pipeline, Judge Michael E Rickert said: “I don’t know what everybody’s beliefs are on [climate change], but I know that there’s tremendous controversy over the fact whether it even exists. And even if people believe that it does or it doesn’t, the extent of what we’re doing to ourselves and our climate and our planet, there’s great controversy over that.”The Skagit County judge made the comments on 24 January while addressing Ward’s request to present a “necessity defense” in court, meaning he would argue that the grave threat of climate change justified civil disobedience.